The skating industry includes a number of very different skating sports, such as hockey, figure skating, and speed skating. The concepts found in the skating industry can also be used in the roller blade industry. The popularity of these sports both at the recreational level and professional level has increased dramatically around the world resulting in changes to skate boots, blades and blade holder systems which strive to improve both the performance and the comfort of the boot, blade and bald holder.
For example, Shum is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,975 issued on Aug. 22, 2000, which relates to a lightweight ice skate for reducing and eliminating the vibrations experienced by a skater. The skate includes a skate blade, a plurality of bumpers and a pair of metal support mounts to which a skate boot is secured. The support mounts include blade receiving portions in which the skate blade is secured. The skate blade is formed of a high grade steel, preferably stainless steel. Stainless steel blades hold their edges longer, cut into the ice better and will not rust over time. The support mounts are formed of a lightweight, stiff, rigid metal such as aircraft grade aluminium. Other materials that can be used to form the support mounts include metal matrix composites and carbon fiber/KEVLAR composites.
Hill et al. is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,467 which issued on Apr. 9, 1996. This patent relates to a skate support and bracket system includes an elongated main body structure in the form of a tubular aluminium extrusion. A bracket attachment track is formed on the extrusion. A pair of boot brackets is slidably mounted on the track for continuous and infinitesimal movement there along. The brackets carry boot mounting platforms at the upper ends thereof and the platforms are cantilevered outwardly from the upper end of the pedestal both rearwardly and laterally so as to present a generally unimpeded area under the platform to facilitate manipulation of an attachment component. Main support body structure 24 may preferably be formed as a tubular aluminium extrusion. Thus, the overall weight of the system may conveniently be reduced.
Myers et al. is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 5,735,536 which issued on Apr. 7, 1998, and relates to a skate assembly has a skate chassis, a boot and a motive member such as rollers or an ice blade. The skate chassis having an elongated body, a heel member and a toe member. The body having concave portions which reduce torsional flex on the chassis. Raised ribs and channels of the body and the members are engaged so as to allow the members to slide longitudinally along the body. The boot can be mounted on the heel and the toe members, and the motive member can be attached to the chassis, thus forming a skate assembly. The toe member having a curving plate for preserving the shape of the boot. Moreover, the heel and toe members can be positioned at numerous distances from one another on the body, thus supporting different boot sizes and providing different positions for the boot on the body.
Although the prior art discloses various support assemblies for different types of skates with various blades, none of the prior art addresses an improved light-weight blade support that has a two-part blade for a figure skate. Thus an extruded light-blade holder for a figure skate that has a two part blade and is significantly lighter, has reduced maintenance with increased longevity and improved performance during the execution of figure skate elements is desirable.